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Southern Water is currently investigating after millions of polluted polymer pellets appeared on Camber Sands beach, sparking fears of a possible "ecological disaster".

The plastic pellets could cause severe harm on marine life, as stated by a local MP, with apprehensions that rare sea life, such as seabirds, small cetaceans, and seals, might consume them and perish.

The area's representative believes the pellets may have been spilled from a local filtration facility and has written to the water company's chief executive, demanding an account.

Camber Sands, located in the southeastern region, is a highly popular shoreline, known for unique sandy ecosystems and vast stretches of fine grains.

Local helpers have been racing against time to clear the pellets, filling multiple sacks with the synthetic debris, but the extent of the pollution spill is vast, and it is unlikely they will be able to remove all of them.

An expert from a plastic pollution campaign group remarked recently, "This is the worst pollution event I have ever seen. It is contaminated plastic. Sea creatures will consume tiny synthetic pieces once they are in the ocean; they will draw in microorganisms, they will appear edible, in essence."

"After ingestion, that’s it: they can’t get it out. They will float on the surface. It will form a layer which draws in diving coastal birds."

The expert continued that the clean-up efforts have been exhausting. "Yesterday, I was out there removing the debris. We are trying to really piece together the timeline and the details for this devastating incident. It’s awful."

"The pellets are minuscule that from a a distance, the shoreline appears unaffected. But as soon as you approach closely, you see there are millions dark beads, hidden among marine plants. It’s an impossible task – helpers have been working tirelessly, and they will continue to rake, but we cannot remove every pellet. It is the most severe I have ever seen of a contaminated shoreline."

The local MP, who joined the removal work, stated, "The huge number of polymer pellets that have appeared on this shore risks an environmental catastrophe. These biobeads are lethal to marine life and wildlife, and we are already seeing more dead seals, fish and porpoises on the coast."

"Local residents are working tirelessly to remove as many pellets as possible, but it’s a urgent effort. Southern Water must urgently establish if their local wastewater plants could be the source of these pellets, and I’ve asked them to dedicate all available resources to supporting the clean-up operation in the meantime."

The beads are also dangerous to canines as they contain a high number of PAHs, which are known to have cancer-causing traits, and they often contain harmful substances such as lead, metalloids, and bromine.

An official representative for Southern Water stated, "We are collaborating with the regulatory body and local council to look into the source of plastic beads which have been deposited on the shoreline. This investigation work is ongoing."

"Local officials is overseeing removal of the shore, using trained personnel with a specialized machinery to extract the pellets. We are additionally assisting with the removal process."

"We have performed water-quality sampling on the beach, which has revealed no effect to the aquatic environment. This data has been shared with the district council and the Environment Agency."

The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.